Barrington squeaks past Prospect in extras for regional title

SOFTBALL — Like the rest of her teammates, Barrington’s Loren Krzysko had not had a lot of success against Prospect pitcher Hannah Lythberg in Saturday’s regional championship at Rolling Meadows.

The third baseman was 0-for-3 in her first three at-bats with a strikeout, pop-up and fly out but she still had plenty of hope as she came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning with the score tied at 1-1.

“I just knew I had to hit, I couldn’t go 0-for-4,” Krzysko said. “I had to swing at anything good.”

Krzysko delivered in the clutch smoking a double to left field. And after a single by Savonnah Osmanski moved her to third, Krzysko scored the game-winning run after a wild pitch to give the Fillies a 2-1 victory and their 11th consecutive regional title.

“It was a really good feeling to finally hit the ball,” Krzysko said. “I knew everyone behind me could hit really well and they would push me in. I trust them.”

Omanski was one of the stars of the game for the Fillies (30-7) going 2-for-3 with a walk. Both hits were crucial to getting the W.

“I went up there and was ready to hit,” Omanski said. “This is what I was waiting for all season. I want to come up here and get a hit.”

Both teams were on the edge of their seats for the entire game. Prospect struck first getting a run in the top of the first on an RBI single to right by Lythberg. But that would be the only run — and in fact the only hit — the Knights would get the rest of the game.

Barrington got the run back in the bottom of the second when Jordan Wekony led off with a single to center and moved to third on a two-base error by the center fielder followed by an RBI double to center from Osmanski.

Prospect’s best chance to push another run across came in the top of the seventh. Back-to-back one-out walks got runners to first and second and a double steal put both in scoring position. But like she was all day, Barrington pitcher Cassidy Kraimer was resilient as can be. She induced back-to-back groundouts and no one scored.

The Knights got a pair of runners on base again in the eighth, but it came with two outs. Kraimer retired the final batter on a fly out to right and left it up to her offense to work some heroics in the bottom of the frame.

“Pressure can sometimes get to me but my team really helped and Savonnah, especially at the end of the game, she came up and told me to calm down and it really helped me,” Kraimer said. “I know they have my back.”

Both teams certainly battled a case of the jitters as the game wore on. The key is doing something useful with that adrenaline rush.

“It’s tough but you have to turn your nerves into energy, positive energy,” Krzysko said.

“It’s scary but our team comes together and we all trust each other,” Kraimer said. “We know on the next one, the play will be made.”

“We came out here strong and the energy in the dugout was all up and moving,” Omanski added. “They brought confidence to me. It was a lot of fun.”

Barrington advances to the sectional semifinals they host where they will face Conant, Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

“I think in all honesty it comes from our dugout,” Omanski said. “If our dugout is high and motivated it cheers us up. I know that’s the case for me.”

For Prospect (11-26), it was a tough way to end its season. But the Knights battled a very good Barrington squad and showed they were not to be taken lightly.

“We’ve struggled this season but I think we came out here and proved to people that we can hang with the big winners in our conference,” said Lythberg, who will pitch at the next level for Valdosta State. “Obviously we are up there and every year we’re just going to keep building and getting better.

“I’m really excited I’m going to Valdosta State University. They just won the National Championship last Saturday against University of California San Diego. I’m really excited.”

Girls Water Polo — Fenwick was hit hard by graduation after winning the state championship last year.

By Rob Valentin

Just five girls returned for this season, which made what they did Saturday night even sweeter.

The Friars captured another state title, defeating Naperville Central 10-7 at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. It marked the seventh title in 11 years — and they did it with just two seniors on the roster.

“I really don’t have words,” said Fenwick senior Maureen Barron. “I couldn’t have asked for a better end to my senior year. We worked so hard for this and it paid off.”

For Borkovec, winning a state title with this group was a bigger challenge. And in some ways, a bigger payoff.

“Honestly, it was the best feeling of my life last year and I wanted everyone to feel the same way,” said Borkovec, a sophomore. “Now they do. I’m really excited our whole team could share the feeling.

“We grew up together since maybe 7th or 8th (grade), playing water polo together and going to see our siblings here. Now that we’re all here and won together, it’s great and hopefully we can do it two more years.”

Fenwick (32-3) led 7-6 heading into the final period and dominated when the game was on the line. Fenwick’s Alexa Ovalle scored two unanswered goals, the second coming with 53.44 seconds to play, to seal the victory.

Naperville Central (32-3) scored with 42.3 seconds to play on a shot by Abbey Kerth (3 goals) but it was too little too late as the Friars added one more goal at the end.

“We know that if we take control of the game, we’re hard to stop,” Barron said. “That was our goal going into it. It might have taken us a while, but we got there.”

Barron is a star swimmer for the Friars so she’s used to high-pressure situations, but water polo is not quite like swimming, which is much more individual.

“Water polo is so different from swimming in that way,” Barron said. “In a way I like the pressure. It makes me step up. It’s so hard, so many people depending on our team but I think the pressure gets our team pumped up.”

Fenwick was very balanced with its scoring on Saturday. Paige Kohut, Barron, Borkovec and Ovalle each had two goals while Colleen Barron and Maggie Sheean added a goal apiece.

It’s never fun to end your season with a loss and it’s even worse when it comes in the state championship game. But there’s a lot for the Redhawks to be proud of. They were one of the final two teams left standing and they gave a dynasty a run for its money.

“I really don’t think there was (a turning point),” Kerth said. “We played really hard every possession. Even at the end, we were still scoring. I think it was just a matter of putting it in the goal. We really tried our hardest and I think we did a great job. Just a few mistakes cost us.”

Loyola stops Trevians, advances to State

By Rob Valentin

Boys Water Polo: Big-time players make big-time plays.

And Loyola has plenty of big-time players. That was evident by how the team handled itself in the fourth quarter of a nail-biting 10-9 victory over New Trier Saturday to win the Glenbrook South Sectional and advance to the state quarterfinals.

Goalie Robbie O’Connor had perhaps the most pressure on his shoulders. In the final minutes he had to stay strong in net as New Trier had several opportunities to tie the game. In the end, the Trevians’ star player, Jordan Palmer had one last chance to score when he fired on goal with just seconds to play.

But O’Connor stayed composed, lunged and blocked the shot to preserve the win.

“It was four seconds left and they had to start with the ball on top so we know it’s probably going to be an outside shot,” he said. “You just have to rely on everyone in the pool. Everyone did their part. They had Jordan Palmer shooting it and he’s a very skilled player. There were a lot of hands in the air and I was fortunate to block it.”

O’Connor lunged to his right as Palmer was shooting. It wasn’t a guess or a reaction, but something planned out.

“If you’re reacting you’re behind,” O’Connor said. “As he’s getting up, you’re getting up and you have to do your best to get to where the ball is going. We worked on outside shots a lot this week in practice and I was ready for it.”

Loyola led 8-7 heading into the fourth quarter but New Trier tied it with 5:18 to go as Jason Bartha put back a rebound right in front of the net. But Loyola responded adding two straight goals, one coming from Danny Stauder with 4:22 to play and the final coming from Charlie Dowdle with 2:02 remaining.

“We knew it would be a battle, it’s just unfortunate that it has to be this early in the playoffs that we play each other. It was definitely the intensity of a state semifinal game,” said Dowdle who remained calm in the final minutes when New Trier was trying to pull out the win. “It was (close) the whole game so we weren’t very nervous. It was just a huge team effort on defense. We just had each others back in that fourth quarter to come out on top.”

Palmer scored the Trevians’ final goal with 1:40 when he beat O’Connor for a loose ball in front of the net. But O’Connor would get the last laugh by blocking his final two shots.
“It’s always very exciting (to beat New Trier) because they’re our biggest rival but it’s nice to get back into the state tournament this year,” O’Connor said.

For New Trier, it was a tough loss because you could look back at 100 little things that could have changed the outcome. But Palmer didn’t look at it that way.

“Everyone in the water played to 110 of their abilities,” Palmer said. “We knew that this was going to be a fantastic game and we got a crowd here that was crazy. Regardless of the score it was a great game. Loyola played just a little bit better than we did and it shows on the scoreboard.”

Loyola will take on Latin, Thursday night in the quarterfinals at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. The winner advances to the semifinals on Saturday morning.

By Rob Valentin

Softball — It was a perfect ending to a perfect week for Downers Grove North.

The Trojans, coming off three shutout wins earlier in the week, hosted Lincoln-Way Central and New Trier Saturday in Downers Grove.

DGN was nearly flawless in the first game against the Knights, beating the southwest suburban school 7-0 behind a complete-game two hitter by junior pitcher Elaine Heflin.

“Lincoln-Way was a younger team last year and we knew they would be better,” said Heflin, who struck out seven and issued two walks. “We had to jump on them early and then play like we play.

“We felt really confident coming off that game because we’ve been struggling hard when it comes to hitting. We scored seven runs and we had a good feeling about New Trier. But we knew they were a good running team and we had to get our defense going.”

The Trojans needed their ‘A game’ against their neighbors to the north as neither team could get much offense going. The Trevians threatened first, loading the bases in the fourth inning. But sophomore Dale Ryndak pitched out of the jam

DGN packed the bags in the sixth inning, but they too couldn’t push across the game’s first run.

North finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh.

Brittany Nagy led off and was hit by a pitch. Anne Lusher tried to bunt Nagy over to second but the ball got past the third baseman and suddenly there were runners on second and third. Madeline Wojciak laid down what was supposed to be a squeeze bunt but she wound up being safe at first and neither runner advanced, loading the bases with no outs.

Hannah Mrazek played the role of hero as she sliced a shot down the right side that landed just fair to score the first run in a 1-0 win.

“In the past they’ve always beat us,” said Ryndak, who went the distance to get the win. “We really held our own. I worked my butt off not giving up any runs. They’re a solid team and we knew it was going to be close. They do the little things right.”

Heflin and Ryndak have been lights out for the Trojans all season long. Both pitchers have different styles. Heflin throws as hard as anyone in the state and Ryndak can hit any spot she wants and their success is unquestioned. The team is 24-3 and each pitcher has an ERA under .5. Both also have pretty compelling stories.

Heflin fractured a vertebrae in her back during summer ball after her freshman season. She missed all but a couple of games last year recovering and rehabbing the injury.

“My doctor said that it’s very common in athletics and that it heals fast,” she said. “But there was always doubt in my mind that I might never play again. As soon as I got the all clear to play again I started strengthening and getting my core stronger. I got the strength back in my legs and started pitching more in games with my summer team. Right now I feel stronger than I ever have.”

Ryndak is following in the footsteps of her big sister, Kendall, one of the best pitchers in school history. But Dale has only used that as extra motivation. She also learned some pretty important lessons from her sister and decided to make an early verbal commitment to Purdue University.

“It’s a stress free situation. I saw how my sister had all the pressure getting her scholarship,” Dale said. “And it helps the college out. They know they have me and can spend time recruiting other girls.”

Dale had plenty of choices when it came to picking a school, but in the end, the West Lafayette school had everything she wanted.

“I want to go into the medical field or a nursing program. Boston College made me an offer but I’d have to do labs over the summer and I wanted to stay close to home,” she said. “I had a lot of family that wanted me to go (to Purdue) and when they made an offer I jumped on it. The head coach (Kim Maher) has done a lot of work with the Olympic team and she has a lot of accolades.”

The two pitchers will be the key to further success for North this season. The Trojans have big goals and they have the horses to get them there.

“This year the team is doing really well and we’re working hard,” Heflin said. “Some days we have trouble hitting the ball but we know Dale and I will keep us in the games. We really want to go to Peoria and win state.”